Fanfold card guide device with gravity held discharge chute

ABSTRACT

An apparatus and method are disclosed for maintaining an orderly automatic feed of fanfolded continuous - supply index cards and self-contained carbon copies from a respository into a typewriter, propelled by platen rotation of the typewriter. The device also provides a means of orderly and automatic discharge of the typed cards from the typewriter, delivering them to a location clear of the machine for further processing.

United States Patent 1 Banwarth 1 Oct. 23, 1973 1 1 FANFOLD CARD GUIDEDEVICE WITH GRAVITY HELD DISCHARGE CHUTE [75] Inventor: Robert F.Banwarth, Hyattsville,

[73] Assignee: The United States of America as represented by theDirector of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Washington, DC.

[22] Filed: Oct. 8, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 187,670

[52] US. Cl. 197/133 R, 197/133 F [51] Int. Cl B4lj 15/00 [58] Field ofSearch.... 197/126 R, 126 A,

197/133 R, 133 A, 133 F, 13 3 P,134,140,142

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,548,715 4/1951 Fitzgerald197/133 F 2,012,524 8/1935 Thrift 1 97/133 F 3,161,276 12/1964Fleischmann et a1. 197/133 R 2,369,441 2/1945 Daly et al.... 197/133 R X1,939,202 12/1933 Caton 197/133 R 1,991,908 2/1935 Pringle 197/133 F2,777,690 1/1957 Davidson...... 197/133 F X 2,973,081 2/1961 Maidment eta1. 197/133 F 3,013,646 12/1961 Sargent 197/133 F 3,232,407 2/1966Drescher 197/133 R X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 678,316 9/1952Great Britain 197/126 R Primary ExaminerErnest T. Wright, Jr. AttorneyT.Hayward Brown [57] ABSTRACT An apparatus and method are disclosed formaintaining an orderly automatic feed of fanfolded continuous supplyindex cards and self-contained carbon copies from a respository into atypewriter, propelled by platen rotation of the typewriter. The devicealso provides a means of orderly and automatic discharge of the typedcards from the typewriter, delivering them to a location clear of themachine for further process- 6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures mzmwnm 23 msINVENTOR NN E mm ROBERT F. BANWARTH ATTORNEY FANF OLD CARD GUIDE DEVICEWITH GRAVITY HELD DISCHARGE CHUTE GOVERNMENT ASSIGNMENT The Governmentof the United States has the entire right, title and interest in theinvention described herein, pursuant to Executive Order No. 10096, Jan.23, I950, F.R. 389.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the preparation of a large volume ofindex cards and their carbon copies, each containing a preprogrammedtyped message of a repetitive nature, feeding of continuous supplyfanfolded index cards and their self-contained carbon copies requirespersonal attention of an operator to assure uniform and trouble-freeprocessing of the cards through a typewriter (such as the InternationalBusiness Machines Magnetic Tape Selectric Typewriter) having a platenwhich does not move in a horizontal direction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention provides a repository for supplyof the fanfolded cards which are automatically guided around thetypewriter platen, the latter providing the propulsion for the cards.After the cards are typed the device guides the cards away from thetypewriter and deposits them clear of the machine where they can befurther processed as required.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide an orderly andautomatic feed of fanfolded continuous supply index cards andself-contained carbon copies from a card repository into a typewriter.

Another object of this invention is to provide an orderly and automaticdischarge of the typed cards from the typewriter to a location clear ofthe machine.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will bebetter understood from the following description considered inconnection with the accompanying drawing, wherein an illustrativeembodiment of the invention is disclosed by way of example and in theaccompanying specification.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is the side view of the invention shown together with thetypewriter.

FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view of the discharge chute takensubstantially along the plane generally defined by reference line 22 ofFIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a partial top view shown of FIG. 1 along reference line 3-3,the discharge chute removed.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the invention taken generally along referenceline 44 of FIG. 1.

Referring now to the drawing, and in particular to FIG. 1 thereof, theutilization of the invention is accomplished by positioning on a firmsufrace the fanfold card guide to the immediate rear of a typewriter Tor similar machine. The guide position is then adjusted so that it canfurnish a smooth and uninterrupted supply of cards for typing and canguide the typed cards away from the machine for subsequent handling.

The body 1 of the fanfold guide provides a shelf 2 as a repository for asupply of fanfolded cards and selfcontained carbon copies 16. The cardlifter slide'3 is positioned over the repository by a pair of slidesupports 4. The upper most of the continuous series of cards is fed intothe guide by leading it over the card lifter slide 3 and down the archedplaten charging guide 5 as shown by dashed line 16'. The series of cardsis held in proper position in the platen charging guide 5 by means ofthe lipped edges 6 of the guide. The bottom edge 7 of the platencharging guide 5 is positioned on the frame of the typewriter T to theimmediate rear of the platen 19, but not touching it. The proper angleof the platen charging guide 5 to the platen 19 is controlled by meansof a continuous hinge 8 attaching the charging guide 5 to the body 1 ofthe device.

After thecards have passed around the platen 19 and have been typed,they are guided by the typewriters paper bail and paper bail rollers 20into the discharge chute 9. They are guided up and over the guide deviceand are discharged in an area to the rear of the typewriter T and thefanfold guide device as shown by dashed line 16".

Proper positioning of the device in distance from the typewriter T isaccomplished by sliding spacers 10 which are paired at the bottom frontof the body 1 of the device. Proper height of the device in relation tothe typewriter T is adjusted by means of four screwtype foot levelers 11at each corner of the bodys bottom.

The angle of the discharge chute 9 and its height in relation to thedevice body 1 is adjusted by four vertical sliding supports 12 at eachcorner of the device. The position of the discharge chute 9 is further.controlled and supported by the discharge chute angle control. This canbetter be viewed with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. The angle controlconsists of two blocks 13, rounded at the top surface 25 to fit theinner rounded corner 24a of the dishcarge chute 9. The blocks 13 areslotted to allow adjustment by means of tension from a winged nut 14 ona threaded bolt 15 which passes through the hollow card lifter slide 3.The discharge chute 9 is not permanently affixed to the body 1 of thedevice. It stays in position solely by means of its own weight, makingcontact at six points, the top surfaces 25 of blocks 13 and the U-shapedinner edges 17 of the 7 vertical sliding supports 12. The dischargechute 9 is removable merely by lifting.

The discharge chute 9 may be made of any sturdy non-breakable materialwhich can be molded into the desired shape shown. The material used inthe preferred embodiment is transparent plastic. FIG. 1 shows thedischarge chute 9 in an inverted V-shap'e, with front and rear legs.FIG. 2 is a cross-section of the front leg of the discharge chute 9along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1. The base member 24 of the chute 9 extendsalong the entire length of the V-shape and includes the inner roundedcorner 24a. Side and top members 22 and 23, respectively, provide a slot21 along the front leg of the discharge chute 9 for guiding the cardsthat have been typed away from the platen 19. The slot forming members22, 23 are only located along the front leg of the discharge chute 9.Only base member 24 is necessary for guiding the cards down the rear legof the chute 9. All the members 22, 23, 24 are of the same material andform an integral chute 9.

Arched platen charging guide 5 is shown clearly in FIG. 4. In apreferred embodiment, the platen charging guide 5 is comprised of twosections, 5a and 5b each attached to the body 1 of the device byelements 5c which fit between sections 8' of continuous hinge 8 securedto the body 1. Each section 5a and 5b has a Iipped edge 6 for holding aseries of cards in the proper position. Also, the width of the entirecharging guide 5 may be modified by means of compression spring 18.Spring 18 is biased outwardly and each section 5a and 5b can be movedrelative to each other laterally by adjusting winged nut 26. In thismanner. cards of varying widths may be used, limited only by the spacebetween sections 8' of the continuous hinge 8 and elements 50 ofsections 5a and 5b.

The invention has been described in detail with particular reference toa preferred embodiment therefor. It will be understood that numerousother arrangements within the scope and spirit of the present inventionmay be devised by those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the presentinvention is to be defined only within the scope and spirit of theapending claims.

What I claim is:

l. A guiding device for feeding a continuous stack of fanfolded indexcards to and from a platen ofa printing means comprising:

a. a body member having a repository containing a supply of saidcontinuous stack of fanfolded index cards,

b. a platen charging guide means attached to said body member by meansof a continuous hinge for controlling the angle required to feed thecards to the platen,

c. aremovable integral discharge chute for guiding said cards away fromthe platen'and depositing said cards clear of the printing means, saidchute affixed to said body member solely by means of gravity, the heightof said chute in relation to said body member being adjustable byvertical sliding supports on said body member and the angle of saidchute in relation to said body member being controlled by two adjustableblocks each having a rounded top surface upon which an inner corner ofsaid chute sits.

2. The device of claim 1 also comprising a cylindrical card-lifter slidemeans positioned over said repository by a pair of slide supportswherein said cards are fed over said slide means prior to'being fed tothe platen charging guide means.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said discharge chute is V-shaped havingone leg which is slotted and guides said cards up and away from theplaten and another leg which guides said cards down and clear of saidprinting means.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein said platen charging guide meanscomprises an arched surface section having lipped edges along each sidefor positioning the series of cards.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein said platen charging guide meanscomprises two arched surface sections which can be slid along saidcontinuous hinge relative to each other by means of a compression springso as to be adjustable to varying widths of said cards.

6. a device as in claim 1 wherein said printing means is a typewriterhaving a platen which does not move in a horizontal direction.

1. A guiding device for feeding a continuous stack of fanfolded indexcards to and from a platen of a printing means comprising: a. a bodymember having a repository containing a supply of said continuous stackof fanfolded index cards, b. a platen charging guide means attached tosaid body member by means of a continuous hinge for controlling theangle required to feed the cards to the platen, c. a removable integraldischarge chute for guiding said cards away from the platen anddepositing said cards clear of the printing means, said chute affixed tosaid body member solely by means of gravity, the height of said chute inrelation to said body member being adjustable by vertical slidingsupports on said body member and the angle of said chute in relation tosaid body member being controlled by two adjustable blocks each having arounded top surface upon which an inner corner of said chute sits. 2.The device of claim 1 also comprising a cylindrical card-lifter slidemeans positioned over said repository by a pair of slide supportswherein said cards are fed over said slide means prior to being fed tothe platen charging guide means.
 3. The device of claim 1 wherein saiddischarge chute is V-shaped having one leg which is slotted and guidessaid cards up and away from the platen and another leg which guides saidcards down and clear of said printing means.
 4. The device of claim 1wherein said platen charging guide means comprises an arched surfacesection having lipped edges along each side for positioning the seriesof cards.
 5. The device of claim 1 wherein said platen charging guidemeans comprises two arched surface sections which can be slid along saidcontinuous hinge relative to each other by means of a compression springso as to be adjustable to varying widths of said cards.
 6. a device asin claim 1 wherein said printing means is a typewriter having a platenwhich does not move in a horizontal direction.